People all over the world enjoy using wood to create many different things. Woodworker make many wonderful items such as tables, chairs and bookshelves. Great information is essential to woodworking success. Continue reading for insight about how to increase the level of enjoyment you experience while working with wood.

If you need to stain a project you’re working on in woodworking, then you should use a stain conditioner first. The conditioner will make it more difficult to notice irregularities in the wood. These conditioners help the stain penetrate evenly and keep the wood smooth.

Safety always comes first. Be certain you always have the right safety equipment, and use your tools properly. Never take the guards off the power tools that you use. The guards are there to keep you safe. You can’t complete the project if you end up hurting yourself.

TIP! When you are working with wood, always think about safety. Always use your tools properly while wearing adequate safety equipment.

A great tool for setting crosscut guides is a stair gauge. Clamp them on the carpenter’s square and be sure they match up. Then mark the notches. When you clamp them on the one tongue of the carpenter’s square it will become a good crosscut guide for your circular saw.

Did you know that the height of your workbench is vital to the quality of work you produce? Starting from your waist midline, measure the distance down to the floor; this is your ideal workbench height. That height is optimal for your workbench.

Inquire about tutorials on tools that you are renting. A lot of the time they have specialists that will help you learn to ue the tool more easily than if you tackle it by yourself. Ask, too, if they’ve got a handout with any sort of tips for the tool.

Make your own sanding blocks. Cut six blocks from any 3/4″ plywood you have, for each sandpaper grit you regularly use. Make sure they are about 2.5″ x 4.75.” Spray adhesive on the wood and a piece of cork. Stick a block on the cork and cut it flush with a knife. Put adhesive on a sheet of sandpaper and apply it on each block of cork. Lastly, cut the sandpaper to be flush with the cork. Finish by labeling each block.

TIP! Make your own sanding blocks. Make a list of each sandpaper grit that you typically use, and then cut a full six blocks for each from scrap plywood, 3/4″ thick.

Put some more spring in your grip. You might require the use of a spring clamp at times, but you may only be able to use one hand. It can very hard to open these up just using one hand. You can make it simpler. Prior to doing a glue-up, put your clamps on scrap wood with both hands. That way, they are almost at full capacity and can be maneuvered with just one hand.

Wear ear protection. Woodworking equipment can be very noisy. You don’t want to damage your hearing. Headphones or throw away ear plugs are both good protection options. No matter what you choose, be sure that you use them whenever you operate machinery.

Always keep your eyes peeled for free wood. Some business have excess wood pallets lying around and will give them away if you’ll collect them. Look online and you can find a million uses for old wooden pallets. Some people make furniture out of them. Be thrifty.

Try using a stair gauge as a crosscut guide. Match them to the rise and run of your stair jack, then attach them to the carpenter’s square. Then put a mark on the notches. You have a great crosscut guide when you put each of them on the carpenter’s square together.

TIP! Stair gauges make good crosscut guides. Attach them to a carpenter’s square, and use them to ensure that they match the rise and run of your stair jack.

Seek out wood that has been recycled. Many places have scrap wood that you can use. Home improvement stores, floor shops, and places that are similar are going to throw away good wood sometimes. Look around and get pieces you may need. This way, you can work with wood and save some money in the process.

Most people just see a block of wood as a block of wood. However, for the small subset of people who are able to understand this, the above article will help sharpen your woodworking skills so that you can create incredible works of art with your wood. The tips here will help you create some great projects.